President Spellings pays UNCG a visit

Some UNCG strengths that UNC System President Margaret Spellings noted in a mid-day question and answer session with reporters? Health care fields. Support of veterans and non-traditional students. Music. Nursing. The School of Education.

Spellings, who took office as UNC system president March 1, is in the course of visiting each of the UNC system campuses. Last week, for example, she was in the eastern part of the state, with stops at Elizabeth City State, NC State and UNC Wilmington.

Her April 25 visit to The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, which was titled “UNC Greensboro: A Legacy of Access and Success,” is the 14th in her ongoing meet-and-greet tour of UNC campuses.

During the morning, she was hosted at a roundtable moderated by UNCG Chancellor Franklin Gilliam Jr. The session, titled “Signature Programs Enhancing Access to UNC Greensboro,” highlighted UNCG’s programs, some challenges and some larger policy debate around issues in higher education. As he explained, the theme was “opportunity and access.”

She also toured the SELF Design Studio, a makerspace in the UNCG School of Education Building. It features many emerging technologies and tools including 3-D printers, robotics, art supplies and circuitry kits.

After a reception with students at UNCG’s Weatherspoon Art Museum, she enjoyed a tour of campus.

A second roundtable, moderated by Provost Dana Dunn, was titled “Promoting Academic and Career Success.” This afternoon session focused on UNCG’s experiential learning programs and culture of teacher engagement, which provides a unique, enriched experience for Spartan students.

Spellings spoke earlier about UNCG’s excellence in certain programs, though that fact may not be known widely enough. Programs such as UNCG Music are a “best kept secret,” she said.

Spellings also spoke about affordability and the need to serve non-traditional students – it’s about opportunity and access. “The takeaway? Anyone can be successful here.”

By Mike HarrisPhotograph by Martin Kane, as Spellings visits the School of Education

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